Cloth finishing



Feb.`26, 19.35. 1 CLUETT 1,992,194

CLOTH FINI SHING I Filed Oct. 12, l1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 26, 1935. s, CLUETT 1,992,194

CLOTH INISHING .Filed Oct. ll2, 1932 2 Sheets-Shee-t 2 "m m l N Patented Fence-1935 UNITED STATES CLOTH FINISHING v Sanford L. Clnett, Troy, N. Y., aallgnor to Cluett,

Peabody Co., Inc., of New York Troy, N. Y., a corporation Application October 12, 1932, Serial No. 637,438

14 Claims.

This invention relates to fabrlcnishing and has for one of its objects the improvement of mechanism adapted to shrink fabric by confining the fabric to the contracting surface of a blanket,

5, as described -in my United States Patent No. 1,861,422 and No. 1,861,424, granted May 31, 1932. The former of these two patents describes the general method of shrinking fabric by such mechanical means, while the latter patent describes and illustrates a machine utilizing the principal parts of a widely used type of ironing and finishing machine but altered and rearranged to provide commercially advantageous mechanism for practicing the process. The present invention aims to simplify mechanism for shrinking fabric mechanically in such a way as to leave in the shrunken fabric a commercial finish as distinguished `from inferior finishes obtained by washing and the like, and further aims to provide shrinking mechanism which can be constructed from commonly used ironing, drying and finishing machines with the minimum of alteration.

One feature of the device of my Patent No. 1,861,424 comprises pressure means, preferably in the form of a series of metal blocks, adapted to corinne the entering fabric to the relatively extended surface of the traveling blanket on the4 intake roll before the fabric contacts with the drying cylinder ofn the machine, for the purpose of causing the fabric to partake of the surface contraction of the traveling blanket. One object of the present invention is to provide an improved construction including an intake roll or analogous blanket guiding means, and pres sure means better adaptedto operate in conjunction with the drying cylinder to enable the ma chine to produce shrinkage'. In particular the invention aims to avoid necessity for accurate alignment of the intake roll and surface of the drying cylinder, to avoid necessity for a high degree of regularity of the drying cylinder, and to avoid wear of either the drying cylinder or the pressure means such as has heretofore been possible because of the previous relationship of these parts.

` It will be observed from a consideration of my Patent No. 1,861,424 that the mechanism therein described involves the transfer of the fabric from confinement by the pressure means such as heated ironing blocks to similar confinement against the heated drying cylinder. In the device of said patent, it is preferable that the pressure means which first confines the fabric shall extend as nearly as possible to the exact pointv where the fabric is subjected to pressure by the drying cylinder; it is sought by such construction to avoid permitting the fabric to leave the contracting surface of the blanket and consequently to wrinkle. The present invention aims to avoid any necessity for the pressure means extending into substantial contact with the drying cylinder, and further aims to provide for a structurally desirable spacing of these partswithout any detriment to the cloth under treatment. V

Moreover, it is an object of this invention to provide shrinking apparatus improved in its capability of diminishing the length of rayons, silks, voiles or any fabric requiring especial care to prevent its warp threads from being forced out of longitudinal alignment during the process. The device of my Patent Number 1.861,@21 ac complishes a result Whicl'i is commercially satisactory in this regard by maintaining the previously described close relation between the pressure means and the drying cylinder. However the present invention (Without the necessity for such. close relation of parts) provides an even improved alignment of the warp threads by subjecting 'the fabric to a very slight longitudinal stretch immediately after the fabric has con-- tracted in length, and before it is dried. Such slight longitudinal stretch is insumcient to make any practical difference in the ultimate length or smunken dimension of the fabric, but aufdcient to improve substantially the warp-alignment of certain fabrics auch as mentioned above. Ot er objects ci' the invention, and features ci novelty and advantage will be apparent this specification and its drawings wherein my invention is explained by way of example.

in the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view showing the intake roll and pressure means, and a fragment of the drying cylinder and endless blanket of an improved shrinking device,this view being taken on the line 1 1 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation to a smaller scale of the machine of Fig. 1, parts being broken away on the right-hand half of this View to show other parts normally obscured thereby;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view similar to Fig. 1, showing a modification thereof.

The drawings show the machine as having a frame 10, a rotary heated drying cylinder ll, an endless blanket l2 of any appropriate material that may be readily flexed so that the surface stretches or. contracts during iiexure, traveling ser in a path defined in part by the cylinder, and an intake roll 13. All of these parts may be and preferably are the same as those employed in a common type of fabric-finishing and ironing machine. In particular the intake roll 131 is preferably spaced Substantially away from the drying cylinder 11, being mounted at its ends in bearings 14, 14 which are preferably carried by adjustable frames 15, 15. These adjustable frames l5, and bearings 14, 14, may be like those customarily employed to adjust and mount an intake roll in approximate parallelism with the heated cylinder of a drying machine, and in particular need not have any such adjustability as would permit the intake roll to nip the blanket against the cylinder 1l. On the contrary, it is preferred that the intake roll should be several inches away from the drying cylinder as in drying machines which are not concerned with shrinking. Thus Figure 1 shows a distinct gap across which the blanket 12 runs from intake roll 13 to drying cylinder 11.

To such old and well-known parts, there is preferably added a supplemental pressure roll 18 adapted to force the blanket against the drying cylinder at a point -below the intake roll, thus predetermining the point at which the blanket runs onto the cylinder. This supplemental roll, which is in certain aspects of the invention an optional feature (omitted in the modification, Fig. 4) may conveniently have its end bearings 19 suspended by links 20' hanging from the shaft 22 of the offtake roll, and may advantageously be forced toward the cylinder by springs 25 cooperating with links 26 which are fastened to the frame 10.

Fabric W, coming from any preceding treatment such for example as moistening, or calendering or other finishing operations approaches the apparatus as shown in Fig. 1 so as to contact first with the convex and relatively extended lsurface'of the blanket 12 passing o'ver the intake roll 13. The fabric is then pressed and held into confinement against this surface of the blanket to cause it to partake of contraction of the surface of the blanket as the latter leaves the intake roll. Pressure means for thus confining the fabric preferably take the form of a plurality of steel ironing blocks 29 heated by internal electric heating elements 30 to prevent sticking, and having polished concave surfaces accurately conforming to the convexity of the blanket 12 on the intake roll. The pressure means moreover acts to press the fabric against the blanket after the latter leaves the convex surface defined by the intake roll, and accordingly, the blocks 29 are shown as having depending portions 29a extending down into the gap betweenv the intake roll and cylinder. Preferably, as shown in Fig. 1, the concave surface of the pressure means merges into a slightly convex surface in the portion 29a so that the blanket surface not only loses its convexity but assumes an opposite concavity in leaving the intake roll. As a result, the fabric, confined to the contracting blanket surface, contracts correspondingly before leaving the lower end of the pressure members 29. The exact amount of such contraction or longitudinal shrinkage depends upon the thickness of the blanket, the size of the intake roll,

and the convexity of the lower part 29a of the pressure means. With the parts constructed as shown in Fig. 1, and with a blanket of 0.40 inch thickness and an intake roll of 3.00 inches diameter, a longitudinal contraction of about 3.7

inches per yard will result, quite sumcient completely to preshrink most kinds of fabrics.

In addition to the advantage of retaining the position oi the intake roll 13, spaced substantially from the drying cylinder as in prior ironing devices (thus rendering such prior devices easily adaptable to my method of shrinkage) the hereindescribed structure is desirable in that it avoids bringing the pressure means, such as the blocks 29, into close relation to the drying cylinder. As shown in Fig. 1, there is preferably a substantial clearance between the lower tip of the blocks 29 and the drying cylinder. This avoids any possibility of the blocks 29 scoring the surface of the cylinder. Further, the clearance permits the lower tip of the blocks 29 to be rounded and avoids the disadvantages of a sharp edge such as is employed in the blocks of my Patent No. 1,861,424. Moreover, with the clearance between the blocks and cylinder, accurate alignment of the intake roll and` cylinder is unnecessary.

As shown in Fig. 1, the lower tip of the pressure means may terminate approximately at the point where the blanket runs onto the supplemental roll 18. Between the tip of the pressure means 29 and the cylinder 11, the previously concave surface of the blanket assumes a slight convexity, thus very slightly stretching the fabric which at -this point is not subject to normal pressure. This slight stretching is insufficient to make any practical dlfference in the ultimate length or shrunken dimension of the fabric, but is sufdcient to irnprove the warp-alignment of certain fabrics such as silks, rayons or voiles which have a slight tendency to lose their warp-alignment upon being subjected to mechanical shrinkage.

The fabric thus longitudinally shrunken and then very slightly stretched, then is pressed by the blanket against the rotating drying cylinder,

'.and is thus set in its improved preshrunken condition.

The machines adjuncts for mounting the pressure blocks 29 may be similar to those described in my Patent No. 1,861,424. Thisconstruction may include for example a pair of C-shaped plates suitably aixed to the respective roll-carrying frames 15, a pair of brackets 36 pivotally mounted at 37 on the respective c-shaped plates. 35, and a transverse rod 38 connecting the two brackets 36, so as to form a pivoted yoke extending across the width of the series of blocks 29. Each block 29 may carry a hook 39 surrounding the rod 38 so that when the yoke is swung'to the right about pivots 37, all the blocks 29 are removed at once from the fabric.

A channel bar 41 may connect the two brackets 36 and serve as a conduit for electric conductors The modified form of apparatus of Fig. 4 is ini general similar to the apparatus of Figs. 1, 2 and, 3. and corresponding parts are designated by the reference characters of Fig. 1 with the addition leading to heating units 30 in the several blocks.

of primes. In the apparatus of Fig. 4, the intake roll 13' and drying cylinder 1i' are somewhat closer than are the corresponding parts of Fig. l, and there is no supplemental pressure roll corresponding to the roll 18 of Fig. 1. Thus in the device illustrated in Fig. 4, there is no provision for slightly stretching the shrunken fabric before drying It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration mly and that this invention includes all modifications and equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

, surface of the blanket to contract said cylinder and contact with the drying cylinder `the belt contracts before reaching thecylinder,V

l. A fabric-shrinking machine having therein a heated rotating fabric-drying cylinder, a blanket traveling in an endless path defined in part by said cylinder and adapted to holdv a fabric web in contact. with the cylinder, guide meansfor the blanket positioned to cause the fabric-receiving at a point in advance of and spaced from the drying cylinder. the machine being adapted for the reception of the fabric web by the blanket when the latter is. in a relatively extended state preceding said contraction, and pressure means for holding the web againstv the blanket during contraction thereof.

2. A fabric-shrinking machine having therein a heated rotating fabric-drying eyunder, a blanket traveling in an endless path deilned in part by adapted to hold a fabric web in cylinder, guide means for the blanket positioned to cause the fabric-receiving surface of the blanket to contract at a point in advance of and spaced from the drying cylinder, the machine being adapted for the reception of the fabric web by the blanket when the latter is in a relativew extended state preceding said contraction, and pressure means for holding the web against lthe blanket during contraction thereof, said pressure means extending close to the point where the blanket runs onto the cylinder.

3. A fabric-shrinking machine having therein an intake roll, an endless fabric-receiving blanket passing thereover with its fabric-receiving surface temporarily convex, a heated drying cylinder receiving the blanketA from the roll, the roll and cylinder being spaced farther apart than the thickness of the blanket, and a pressure member conforming to the convexity of the blanket on said roll and extending in the space between the roll and the cylinder beyond a point where the fabric-receiving surface of the blanket has lost its convexity in leaving the roll.

4. A fabric-shrinking machine having therein an intake roll, an endless blanket passing thereover, a heated drying cylinder, there being between the roll and cylinder the blanket runs free from both the roll and cylinder, andra pressure member conforming to the convexity of the blanket on said roll and having a portion shaped to press fabric against the blanket during passage of said gap.

v5. A fabric-finishing machine having therein a heated drying cylinder, a blanket traveling in an endless path dened in part by said cylinder, a guide member defining a curved path, of convexity opposite to that of the drying cylinder, there being between said guide member and said a gapin which the surface of and pressure means for connning fabric to the surface of the blanket on said guide member and a sap across which` 3 to the subsequently contracted surface of the blanket in said gap. l n

8. A fabric-nnishing machine having therein a heated drying cyiinde a blanket traveling in an endless path deiined'fin part by said cylinder, a guide member defining vexity opposite to that of the drying cylinder. there being between said guide member and said drying cylinder a gap in which the surface of the belt contracts before reaching the cylinder, and pressure means for coniining fabric to the surface of the blanket on said guide member and to the subsequently contracted surface of the blanket in said gap, said pressure means having a convex surface adapted to cause the fabricenwing surface of the blanket to assume a concave form in said gap.

7. A fabric-finishing machine having therein a heated drying cylinder. a blanket traveling in an endless path defined in means for guiding the blanket onto the cylinder comprising two rolls, the first substantially spaced from the cylinder and the second adapted to nip the blanket against the cylinder, the surface of the blanket contracting as it leaves the first of said rolls in passing to the second of said rolls.4

and pressure means for connning fabric to the contracting surface of said blanket. said pressure means acting on the fabric between the two rolls.

8. Method of cloth-finishing comprising applying a fabric web to a traveling surface of a blanket, holding the fabric ag A the blanket by pressure. causing the surface of the blanket to contract, thereby contracting the fabric, then stretching the fabric to improve its thread alignment, and fixing the fabric lby heat and pressure.

9. Method of cloth-finishing ing a fabric web to a traveling surface of a blanket, holding the fabric asainst the blanket by pressure, causing the surface of the blanket to contract in length thereby contracting the fabric, then stretching the fabric to improve its warp alignment, and xing the fabric-by heat and pressure.

10. Method of cioth-nishing comprising holding a fabric web ag t a contracting surface by pressure, then releasing the pressure and stretching the fabric. and then fixing the fabric by heat and pressure.

11. Apparatus for cloth-finishing comprising in combination, means for maintaining a web of fabric under compression, means fabric to contract while under such compression,

means operable on the thus treated fabric to` stretch the fabric, and means for drying the fabric under transverse pressure. I

12. Apparatus for cloth-finishing comprising an 'endless blanket having a surface adapted to extend and contract, means for causing the said surface to contract, means for compressiveiy holding a fabric web against the blanket during such `contraction thereby shrinking the fabric, means for causing the said surface to extend, thereby stretching the fabric, and heated drying means onto which the blanket runs to nx the fabric in its thus attained condition.

13. Fabric-shrinking apparatus having therein a rotary heated drying cylinder, an endless blanket running in a path denned in part by said cylinder, guide means deilning an alteration of curvature of the blanket such that hte blanket surface contracts before running onto the cylinder. said guidemeans being spaced from the cylinder toproyide a substantial gap between the cylinder a curved path of con-y Dart by said cylinder,

for forcing the comprising apply- 4 and the place of said contraction of the blanket surface, and a pressure member extending into said gap for pressing' fabric against the contracting blanket surface.

14. Fabric-shrinkingapparatus having therein a. rotary heated drying cylinder, an endless blanket running in' a path defined in part by said cylinder, guide means dening an alteration of curvature of the blanket such that the blanket surface contracts before running onto the cylinder, said guide meansbeingspaced from vthe cylinder to provide a'substantial gap between the cylinder andthe place of said contraction of the blanket surface, and a pressure member extend ing into said gap for pressing fabric against the contracting blanket surface, said pressure means having a substantial clearance from the rotating cylinder.

SANFORD L. CLUETI'. 

